Inspired by DISboard pet peeves...Shopping Pet Peeves

[KimR]

-Lack of eye contact by employees

-Kiosk people in the malls asking me if I have "natural nails" and wanting to mess with my hands. That happens to me nearly every single time I go to the mall. I guess I have that "natural" look about me. I don't like having my fingernails sanded, thank you .

I despise agressive salespeople in general and those kiosk people really drive me nuts! I've learned to not make eye contact and to not so much as glance at the items they are trying to sell, but they still come up to me wanting to smear lotion on my hands and when I refuse they just don't want to take no for an answer. I used to love to go to mall and could spend hours leisurely walking around and browsing but those hawkers have really put a damper on the experience.

 

[mommaU4]

Okay this has happened to me twice this week.... The express lane is for 12 items or LESS not 12 items or MORE. Both times I went through the express lane this week the people in front of me had more, way more, not 12 and a half, not even 13. Way more. Why?

Today in Home Depot I heard a sales associate use the F word.

About two weeks ago, I had a sales associate in Wal-mart respond to my question of where a certain toy was with the answer, "I don't know. That's why I don't shop here, I can never find anything either." Oh. Okay. What?!!!!!

 

[Kycha]

Okay, here is one I haven't seen yet. One of my and DH's biggest pet peeves is how the cashier bags the groceries. They put every single canned product in one bag so that it weighs like a million pounds and never makes it into the house without ripping, then they put the newspaper in a bag by itself. We take time to sort the groceries as we put them on the belt so it shouldn't be too difficult for the cashier to bag them like that. Sometimes they even put the eggs in a bag and the newspaper in a separate bag. What a waste. I don't think that the newspaper will do much damage to those eggs. In fact the paper acts like a cushion. Oh well.

 

[PneumaticTransit]

I despise agressive salespeople in general and those kiosk people really drive me nuts! I've learned to not make eye contact and to not so much as glance at the items they are trying to sell, but they still come up to me wanting to smear lotion on my hands and when I refuse they just don't want to take no for an answer. I used to love to go to mall and could spend hours leisurely walking around and browsing but those hawkers have really put a damper on the experience.

How about those massager booths with the wire contraptions that look like spiders and massage your scalp? You just got done poking some stranger's head... why in the world would I want to try next?

And I hate when they pull you aside and say, "Hey, I don't usually do this, but I will for you . Don't let my boss hear us but I'm gonna give you a great deal." Riiiiiight... do people actually fall for this?

 

[PneumaticTransit]

Okay, here is one I haven't seen yet. One of my and DH's biggest pet peeves is how the cashier bags the groceries. They put every single canned product in one bag so that it weighs like a million pounds and never makes it into the house without ripping

I have the exact opposite problem. They put every item in it's own bag. After putting the groceries up, my kitchen floor is covered with plastic bags even though I only bought 20 items. I keep as many as will fit in my bag drawer (I used them for the bathroom garbage can), but I have so many that I started throwing them away.

 

[jbdreamer]

Here is another pet peeve of mine:

Best Buy

They have the worst customer service!

Never have I seen a store with so many employees standing around doing nothing, and when you need help, they seem to magicaly dissapear. I actually once had an employee walk in the opposite direction after I made eye contact with him!

Multiple times while standing in line at Best Buy, there is one lane open with 10 people in line. And 5 employees chating with each other doing who knows what behind the customer service desk.

Come and service us!

I now avoid Best Buy whenever I can.

 

[LoveWDW]

Cashiers who carry on personal conversations with other cashiers (or even another customer) while they are checking me out. I'm not satisfied that they are paying attention to my order.

I don't like to be rushed out either when I am handed my change and am struggling to get my change in my change purse and my receipt in a bag. It really only takes a couple seconds, why try to get me to leave the area before my stuff is put away. I actually had a cashier at a Waldensbooks one time who was quite rude about it. She had an attitude anyway during the transaction, and in the couple seconds that it took me to drop my change into my purse and close the purse she gave a big exasperated sigh and stood on tiptoe to signal to the person behind me to reach around me and give her the items. It is really not safe to be walking around change in hand and handbag open. Give me the couple seconds to close it, please. The same goes with a credit card transaction. The card needs to be put away in a secure place immediately or it could be misplaced or even lost.

 

[disney4us2002]

Wow, I'm really dense, lol, I didn't know anything about the "wrong side" either as Delilah mentioned. I don't practice the "stay to the right" and honestly it doesn't seem as though those around me are either. My cart and I are on the side where the item I want is.

I'm really obnoxious in the store as I can fill my cart and be in line in 15 minutes so if you see someone speeding by - just move out of my way!

My biggest (maybe only) pp is when someone is staring or debating what they want and is blocking whatever I'm rushing to get.

 

[KristaTX]

I despise agressive salespeople in general and those kiosk people really drive me nuts! I've learned to not make eye contact and to not so much as glance at the items they are trying to sell, but they still come up to me wanting to smear lotion on my hands and when I refuse they just don't want to take no for an answer. I used to love to go to mall and could spend hours leisurely walking around and browsing but those hawkers have really put a damper on the experience.

I successfully dodged the "natural nails" guy yet again this afternoon . I was in the mall to pick up some new eyeglasses. When I arrived, Mr. Natural Nails already had one lady trapped, so I lucked out. I looked and could see her making eyes at her friend through the Footlocker window . On my way out of the mall as I walked past that kiosk I started sneaking around one side of the booth then quickly switched sides as the guy moved .

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I successfully dodged the "natural nails" guy yet again this afternoon . .

There were guys at Costco selling some energy drink. One of the guys was so loud trying to get people to listen to his speech, which I'm sure he says in his sleep. I might have tried a sample, but I couldn't stand the thought of being near him for more than the nano second that it took me to pass by him. Don't think his personality was helping their business.

 

[Crankyshank]

I successfully avoid the natural nails, security system, survey takers, and cell phone providers by walking purposefully, keeping my eyes straight ahead, and pretend not to hear them when they talk to me.

 

[Briarmom]

A lot of these are true for me (especially the Target Visa! Every time I am there 'Would you like to apply..?' ahhhhh)

But, my biggest shopping pet peeve is: Trying on swimsuits!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

But, my biggest shopping pet peeve is: Trying on swimsuits!

UGH, hate it, too. I usually order from Land's End and if it doesn't fit I return it to Sears.

 

[Briarmom]

UGH, hate it, too. I usually order from Land's End and if it doesn't fit I return it to Sears.

Well, to me they never fit. I just look like crud.

 

[MeanLaureen]

I hate when you are checking out in a store where you need a shopping cart (grocery, Target, etc.) and the person in front of you goes into the checkout lane first pulling their cart in behind them. Then they unload the cart, pay for their items and leave their cart parked right there in the middle of the checkout lane with you stranded all the way at the back of the conveyor belt as they walk out on their merry way. That happens to me all the time. I've finally started to yell "HEY, you FORGOT something!" at them as they leave. Most of them get embarrassed and pull the cart out but some get snotty and stick their nose up in the air and walk on out.

I hate the pushing of credit cards too. I finally found the best way to stop it. I just tell them all I already have one of their credit cards. It's a lie, I know, but it stops the hassle so nicely

I also hate it when employees working on restocking the shelves all but completely block a display from being shopable and when you ask to move something so you can see what is there they get an attitude like you are putting them out.

To the poster that heard someone at Home Depot use the F word - a couple of weeks ago I heard someone drop the "F bomb" at Chik-fil-a! That is one place you would never expect to hear any vulgar language. I knew the manager so I made sure he knew what was going on behind the counter!

About the subject of cashiers opening new lanes and asking for the next person in line - 9 times out of 10, even though they said next person in line the person all the way at the back of the line makes a beeline for the open register. I've gotten pretty bold about it though - I will stop them and either say "I'm sorry but I was next in line" or "I'm sorry, but I believe this customer here was next in line". When customers try to jump in line at my store when we open a new register, I'll send them back to where they were and tell them we are taking people in order of the line. Funny thing is, it's usually the senior citizens at the end of a line that high tail it to the newly opened register when the cashier calls next in line - where are they going in such a hurry?

 

[BettyCv]

My biggest pet peeve is when they put the raw meat in the same bag as food I'm not going to cook. That's disgusting. I do put my meat in one of those produce-type bags, but that isn't enough. I don't want my apples in a bag with raw chicken.

I made the mistake one time of saying "Would you please put all the meat in one bag?" Which they did - raw meat and lunch meat all together. YUCK!!!!!

My pet peeve is people who just stand there and don't even make a MOVE for their wallet/checkbook until they are told the total. Then they have to go digging for it. Duh.

Betty

 

[BettyCv]

Ooops, I almost forgot my biggest pet peeve... People who use the carts designed to hold 2 or 3 kids when they are only shopping with one kid (and usually that kid is about 10 years old!). Those carts with the extra seats were a godsend when my kids were younger (that is, if there was one available...).

Betty

 

[sue1013]

My pp is with 12 or less item checkouts. But the opposite of what a few posters complained about. Many times I've been in checkout line with a large order and the manager comes over takes me to the express checkout. My pp is the obnoxious customer that comes behind me and starts complaining stating I have too many items, can't I see the sign it says only 12. Or the passive aggresive ones that stand there huffing & huffing louder each time as their face gets redder and redder. I let them go for a minute before telling them to go complain to the manage standing at the podium since he/she bought me to this line and they really shouldn't assume they know what happened before they got in the line.

 

[Marseeya]

I hate the pushing of credit cards too. I finally found the best way to stop it. I just tell them all I already have one of their credit cards. It's a lie, I know, but it stops the hassle so nicely

OMG, that reminds me of something that happened a few months ago in a Kaufmann's or something like that. There was this really snotty clerk -- an older lady. She asked me about a card once and I politely said no. Then she said in disbelief, "But you would save 10% today! Why wouldn't you want to save money?" At that point I made a HUGE mistake and said something to the effect of, "Right, but then I'd pay 19% in interest." and she nailed me to the wall with it and said huffily, "Not if you actually PAY it off on time." I just glared at her and said, "Well, some of us are smart enough to know when to just pay cash." I swear, I should have left everything on the counter and walked away, but I was shopping for clothes with DD.

 

[Kermit]

I have one more pet peeve. It's petty, but it irritates me. I can't stand it when the sign for the express lane says, "10 items or less". It's supposed to be 10 items or FEWER. Grammatical errors when people are talking or even on a message board like this don't really bother me, but if you're going to have a sign professionally made, have someone who knows the English language proof it first.